HOT DAMN! Pumpkinhead is a movie that I’ve loved since I was in diapers. For whatever reason, it’s never been given the respect it deserved on dvd. This being Backwoods Horror, with emphasis on BACKWOODS, those of you out there in horrorland should know why I’d have such an affinity for this film. For the rest, I’ll explain. The film takes place in the Appalachian mountains (that look curiously like California…hmmm), and revolves around this guy Ed Harley, played by the always kickass Lance Henriksen. These punkass “city kids” happen to come round and start tearin’ ass all around the place on their motorcycles. Well, Ed Harley’s little boy goes chasing after his dog because it went apeshit about all these kids on motorcycles. The kid gets run over and most of the kids (I call them kids, though they look to be in their late twenties in the movie) take off, leaving the kid to die, except for, of course, the “good” ones who stay after to tell Ed Harley about what happened.

Ed gets pissed and goes to see this old witch way back in the woods who tells him about this demon, Pumpkinhead, that’ll do the dirty work and take revenge out on these kids who killed his little boy. So Ed Harley has to go out to this cemetery, dig up this old, rotting corpse, and bring it back to the witch. She does her hoodoo and we get a pissed off demon hell bent on revenge for ‘ol Ed. Only, there’s a catch. If you haven’t seen it, I’m not going to give the rest of it away, but it’s a pretty damn good, Backwoods Horror seal of approval flick, so get off your ass and rent the dvd, but don’t buy it because the 20th anniversary edition is coming out September 7th (this news courtesy Fangoria). On the dvd you’ll get commentary by co-screenwriter Gary Gerani and creature FX creators Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis, moderated by Scott Spiegel (Stan Winston, unfortunately, couldn’t participate as he was ill when Mike “slipcase” Felcher was putting all of the bonuses together), seven all-new featurettes (in one of which they got the old woman who played the witch Haggis to do a rare little interview, thanks to the Deadpit boys for that one), behind-the-scenes footage and a still gallery. This is fuckin’ Christmas as the previous dvd didn’t have shit other than the movie itself. I can’t wait. So save your pennies, kiddos, because September 7th is just around the corner.

Keep away from Pumpkinhead,
Unless you’re tired of living,
His enemies are mostly dead,
He’s mean and unforgiving,
Laugh at him and you’re undone,
But in some dreadful fashion,
Vengeance, he considers fun,
And plans it with a passion,
Time will not erase or blot,
A plot that he has brewing,
It’s when you think that he’s forgot,
He’ll conjure your undoing,
Bolted doors and windows barred,
Guard dogs prowling in the yard,
Won’t protect you in your bed,
Nothing will, from Pumpkinhead.